Skin-stretching frame.



N0 MODEL.

' PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904. J. M. & D.F. HARRIGA r SKIN STRETGHING FRAME.APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2a. 1903.

are. 778,192.

UNITED STATES Patented December 20, 1904.

P TENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. HARRIGAN AND DAVID E. HARRIGAN, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO BUR-KBROTHERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A FIRM.

SKIN-STRETCHING FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,192, dated December20, 1904.

Application filed March 28, 1903. Serial No. 149,976. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,JoHN M. I'IARRIGAN and DAVID F. HARRIGAN, citizensof the United States, residing in Camden, New J ersey, have inventedcertain Improvements in Skin- Stretching Frames, of which thefollowing'is a specification. Y

Our invention relates to that class of stretching-frames which areemployed in the manu' facture of patent or enameled leather and serve toretain a hide or skin (hereinafter for convenience referred to as askin') in a tightly-stretched condition after the application of thevarnish or enameling compound to the same, the object of our inventionbeing to so construct such a stretching-frame that the skin can bestretched therein with less expenditure of time and labor than isrequired with the stretching-frames now employed.

The figure in the accompanying drawing is a face View of askin-stretching frame constructed in accordance with our invention andshowing a skin stretched therein.

The frame is of the usual rectangular form, the bars 1 being composed ofwood or other suitable material and the frame being stiffened by"cornerpieces 2.

Secured. to the bars of the frame are strips 3 of, wire-netting, andsimilar strips 4 extend diagonally across two of the corners of theframe, so as to reduce the opening within said strips to a'form morenearly approximating to that'of the skin.

The stretching of the skin within the frame is effected by means ofhooks 5, some of which,

' it will be observed, are at least as long as the depth of the deeperindentations in the edge of the skin, all of which hooks engage with theskin at points near the edge of the same and also engage with the meshesof the woven- Wire strips 3 and 4:, the connection being effectedeitherby means of single hooks where the distance from the edge of theskin to the strip is short or by means of two or more interlocked'hookswhen the distance is longer.

The multitude of meshes presented by the woven-wire strips permits ofthe tight stretching of all parts of the skin, since the outer end ofeach connecting-hook or series of hooks can be adapted to that one ofthe numerous afi ect that particular portion of the skin with which saidhook engages, thus overcoming a serious objection to that form ofstretchingframe in which a lacing is employed, as the breaking orslackening of said lacing aflects the entire skin and frequently permitsthe same to sag or drop into contact with a skin on an adjoining frame,therehyspoiling the enameled surface of both skins and requiringretreatment of the same.

The frame may have the netting applied to but one face of the same Whereit is intended for stretching a single skin, or in some cases thenetting maybe applied to both faces of the frame, and the lattertherebyadapted for stretching two skins, one on each face.

At that end of the frame where the diagonal strips L are used the strip3 may be omitted, if desired. i While we have shown and described andprefer to use wire-netting for the reception of the outer ends of thestretching-hooks in the manner shown and described, it will be evidentthat strips of perforated sheet metal or like material will answer thesame purpose, and such substitutes are therefore considered theequivalents of and are included in the term wire-netting as hereinemployed. In all cases, however, the skin is supported within butfreefrom contact with the netting, as such contact would in many cases somar these portions of the skin which come in contact with it as torender them unsalable.

Having thus described ourinvention, We claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent' A skin-stretching frame provided with wireand hooksextending from said netting to the names to this specification in thepresenve of skin, some of which hooks are at least as long twosubscribing wltnesses.

as the depth of the deeper indentations in the JOHN M. HARRNlA N.

edge of the skin, whereby the latter is sup- DAVID F. HARRIGAN. 5 portedwithin but free from contact with the Vitnesses:

netting and frame, substantially as described. F. E. BECHTOLI),

In testimony whereof We have signed our l Jos. H. KLEIN.

